Rob Wielgus: War on Wolf Science

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Rob is one of the continent’s leading experts on wolf-livestock interactions. His pioneering research on wolves and livestock in eastern Washington found that lethal control of wolves was in fact increasing livestock depredations, and that ranchers who took part in his cooperative program employing nonlethal measures experienced minimal livestock mortality due to wolves.

Due to political pressure placed upon the administration of the Washington State University, the College of Agriculture placed limits on the speech of Dr. Wielgus and his Large Carnivore Research Laboratory concerning wolves, removed grant funding from Dr. Wielgus, and subjected him to a series of wrongful disciplinary actions as a means of forcing silence on lethal control issues, oftentimes at the behest of a local Republican legislator.

Dr. Wielgus contacted PEER, and his First Amendment academic freedom case resulted in a settlement enabling him to retire from the university.


PRESS RELEASES

Ethics Complaint Against Rabid Anti-Wolf Legislator
Curbs Sought on Rogue Rancher to Abate Wolf Conflicts 
Academic Freedom Fight on Reprisals Over Wolf Science
Academic Freedom Settlement for Washington Wolf Scientist

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